Mugdha Gadgil - Comparative Mythology from Vedas to Max Müller

Comparative Mythology from Vedas to Max Müller

presentation at the online conference

Translation and Interpretation
The Case for Comparative Philosophy
10th and 11th May 2022

Online project supported by British Academy in partnership with the universities of Exeter, Oxford, Cardiff, Pune, Strasbourg, Bern, München, Vilnius, Hong Kong, Connecticut, & Harvard

Convenors: Ionut Moise and Tadas Snuviškis

Comparative Philosophy begins on the margins and footnotes of translators and commentators (e.g., Neoplatonic Commentators of Aristotle). It originates in ‘conceptual translation’ and often ends up as an ‘independent and totally creative reflection’. This workshop gathers a series of Classicists, Indologists, Comparative Religionists and Comparative Philosophers, to debate the ‘problem of translation’ and how it affects and alter readers’ own philosophical understanding. In other words, how translators change from being ‘close readers’ to becoming ‘comparative philosophers’ and ‘independent thinkers.’ This workshop aims to draw a canon for, or rather critique the feasibility of comparative philosophy. Presentations are conversational and informal, and will be, with your permission, broadcast on YouTube for field dissemination.

Mugdha Gadgil.

Associate Professor, Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit (Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit) at Savitribai Phule Pune University, India, Mugdha teaches Vedic language and linguistics at the institute. Recent publications: Etymologies from the Taittirīya Brahmana, New Bhartiya Book Corporation, New Delhi, and Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek, January 2020. ‘Problems and Solutions in Translating Vedic Texts into English’, Journal of Indian Intellectual Traditions, Vol. XIII, Number 2, S. P. Pune University, Pune, June 2020.

Photo courtesy: Bharat Vidya